Baling-machine.



No. 694,166] 'Patented Feb. 25, I902.

o. s. LEE.. BALING MACHINE.

(Application filed Apr. 12, 1900.)

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'No.'694,l66; Patented Feb. 25, I902.

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No. 694,166. Patented Feb-. 25 1902' v 0. s. LEE.

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No. 694,|66l Patnted Feb. 25, I902.

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BALING MACHINE.

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UNr'rED TATES PATENT OFricE.

. ORLAN S. LEE, OF PARSONS, KANSAS.

BALlNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 694,166, dated February 25, 1902.

Application filed April 12, 1900. Serial No. 12,653. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ORLAN S. LEE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Parsons, in the county of Labette, in the State of Kansas,

have invented a new and useful Baling-Machine, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to self-binding balingmachines; and the object of my invention is 0 to produce a bailing-machine which will bale straw as fast as it comes from the thresher or fodder as fast as it comes from the shredder and automatically bind the bales with wire.

My invention comprises, first, novel means for feeding the material into the bale-box; secondly, novel construction and operation of the bale-box; thirdly, novel means for bindingthe bales with wire; fourthly, novel means for putting thefeeding and binding mechanisms alternately into and out of gear with the main driving-gear.

My invention comprises, further, certain novel features of detail construction and arrangement of parts, which will be described hereinafter and pointed out in the claims.

I will proceed to fully describe my invention with reference to the accompanying draw ings, in which- 0 Figure 1 is a rear elevation of the machine. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same with several of the gear-wheels omitted for clearness and indicated by dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the devices for feeding and pressing straw into the bale-box. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the feeding parts looking in the direction of arrow in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the rearward .or lower face of the pressing device, the three closing-plates being in section. Fig. 6 is a detail view of the lower end of the same, showing the three'closingplates. Fig. 7 is a detail View of the forward or upper face of the pressing device, the closing-plates being omitted. Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view of the bale-box and its controlling mechanism, showing also a portion of the chute. Fig. 9

is a detail of the bale-box-lowering device. Fig. 10 is an elevation of the gearing at the left-hand side of the machine by which the bale-box pitmen and the binding parts are operated, the chute and parts of the frame being indicated by dotted lines. Fig. 11 is a sectional detail elevation of the wire-needles and compress in lowered position, the chute in section. Fig. 12 is a-sectional detail elevation of the wire-needles and compress in raised position, showing also one of the wirespools. Fig. 13 is a detail of one of the slotted needle-actuating levers. Fig. 14 is a sectional detail view of the end portion of one of the wire-needles. Fig. 15 is a detail elevation of the same. Fig. 16 is a broken-away elevation of the needles and compress and their actuating mechanism looking in the direction of arrow in Fig. 12. Fig. 17 is a detail side elevation of the wire twisting and cutting mechanism, showing its attachment tothe lower end of the chute. Fig. 18 is a detail view of the same, showing the'retainerratchets. Fig. 19 is adetail plan view of the same, showing the wire retaining and cutting devices. Fig. 20 is an edge View of the plate 172. Fig. 21 is a detail plan view of the wire-twisters, the plate 172 being removed. Fig. 22 is a perspective view of one of the retaining and cutting disks. Fig. 23 is a brokenaway sectional view on the line b b of Fig. 18, showing one of the retainers engaginga wire. Fig. 24 is a section through one of'the twisting-wheels and the adjacent parts. --Fig. 25 is a diagram showing the manner in which the wires are placed previous to the formation of a bale. Fig. 26 is a diagram showing the manner in which the wires are depressed by a bale. Fig. 27 is a diagram showing the wire as looped in the retainer and drawn back after the second throw of the needle. Fig. 28 is a diagram showing the wire as cut in two places and two of its ends twisted. Fig. 29 is a detail plan view of the gear-shifting mechanism and the main driving-gear, the main shafts being broken out and the framebars broken away. Fig. 30 is a vertical section on the line 0 c of Fig. 29 looking in direction of arrow. Fig. 31 is a vertical section on the line (1 (Z of Fig. 29 looking in direction of arrow. Fig. 32 is a vertical section on the line 6 e of Fig. 29 looking in direction of arrow. Fig. 33 is a detail view. Fig. 34: is a perspective view of the bale-box in lowered position, showing the parts immediately connected to it and omitting the lifterbars '79 80 and the lowcrend of the chute 25.

4 of the frame.

Fig. 35 is a detached side elevation of the gearing which actuates the wire twisting and cutting devices. Fig. 36 is a diagrammatic view showing one of the wire-twisters in section, the wire as bent around the hale and passing through the twister, and the relative position of the bale-box in dotted lines.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 16, and 29, the frame of the machine (designated in general by 1) includes the four corner-uprights secured to the sills, transverse bars between the forward two andrear two uprights, longitudinal bars 2 and 5 at the sides of the top of the frame connecting the uprights, longitudinal bars 3 and 4, between bars 2 and 5, connecting the transverse bars at the top of the frame, rearwardly and downwardly extending looped bars 6, oblique guide-bars 7, secured at their lower ends to the rear sill 1 and near their upper and rear ends to said looped bars 6, and the brackets or hangers 8, (shown most clearly in Fig. 16,) having their upper ends bent inwardly and secured to the top of the chute (hereinafter described) and having their lower ends bent outwardly and secured to the uprights 1 between the corner-uprights at the rear of the machine. The functions of the above guide-bars, looped bars, and brackets or hangers are fully described hereinafter. The main drive-shaft 12, the end of which is shown in Fig. 2 and in plan in Fig. 29, is actuated by the belt-pulley13 and carries a pinion 14, which drives a gear-wheel15, Fig. 29. This gear-wheel is mounted on a rotatable shaft 16, which extends the full width of the machine. Shaft 16 is provided near its other end with a gear-wheel 17, which drives gear-wheels 18 and 19, secured on shafts 20 and 2l,in the direction of arrows in Fig. 32. (See also Fig. 10.) Near each end of shaft 21 is secured thereto a pinion 22, which engages a gear-wheel 23, keyed to the rotatable feeder-shaft 24.

Referring especially to Figs. 2 and 3, the chute 25, into the mouth 26 of which the straw or other material is introduced, has its upper portion formed in the arc of a circle of which the feeder-shaft 24 is the center, and its central portion is reversely curved in the arc of a circle having as a center the pivot-shaft 38, hereinafter referred to. The upper and lower ends of the chute are secured to the frame 1 in any suitable manner. ward wall of the chute 25 has a plurality of slots 27 therein, (see Fig. 1,) through which the feeder-arms 28 are driven as follows: The shaft 24 carries two parallel arms 29, the ends of which are connected by a pairof pull-bars 30. To each of said pull-bars is attached a rod 32 by means of crank-arms 33 of the feeder-arms 28. The ends of bars 32 are provided with rollers 34, which travel in grooves in stationary cams 35, secured to bars 3 and Said cams are circular exceptingthe substantially straight portions, as shown in Fig. '3. The shaft 24 rotates in the direction of the'arrow, thereby causing the plate 43 of the press.

The upper and rear arms 28 to descend through the chute and carry the straw to a certain point. At this point it is necessary that the arms 28 be raised out of the straw instead of continuing their circular path. This vertical motion is effected by the action of the offsets in cams 35 upon rollers 34, which is to cause a centripetal movement of rods 32 and a consequent change in the angle of said arms, as shown in Fig. 3. After said arms are withdrawn from the chute they reassume the radial position, which they retain until again raised from the chute.

The straw is taken up at the point where arms 28 leave it by oscillating feeder-prongs 36, playing in slots formed in the lower side of the chute 25. Each of these prongs has alongitudinalslot 37 therein,through which passes the pivot-shaft 38, whose ends are secured in hangers 39, as shown in Fig.2. Said shaft passes through the side portions of a clip 40, the ends of which are secured to the bottom Another clip 42 is secured to said plate near its upper end. Both of these clips extend around the prongs 36 loosely enough to permit the prongs to slide between said clips and the plate 43, and the function of said clips is to hold the prongs against the plate 43- A cross-bar 44'is secured transversely to .the prongs 36 and carries at each end a roller 45. Each of these rollers is guided bya grooved stationary cam 46,.one of which is shown in Fig. 3, a sectional view. These cams are secured to ob lique braces 1 at the sides of the frame, Fig. 1. On each end of cross-bar 44 the end of a pitman 47 is mounted, the pitmen being actuated by gear-wheels 48 at the sides of the machine. Each gear-wheel 48 is actuated by one of the gears 23 on shaft 24. The prongs 36 are thus oscillated about shaft 38 by the rotation of wheels 48. Each cam .46 contains at its forward end a pivoted switch-block 49 and at its rear end a similar pivoted block 50. These ,points of said prongs within. the slots of the chute. The lower grooves of cams 46, being partly curved in arcs concentric with those of the chute, guide said prongs 36 parallel with the chute until rollers 45 meet the straight inclined portions 53 of the cams. While the rollers traverse these inclines the pitmen 47 are pulling prongs 36 up into the chute, and near the end ofthe stroke the rollers pass under and raise the forward switch-blocks 49, pass and release them, and then pass back above them. Between the switch-blocks the cient width to close the chute-slots through which'pron gs 36 travel. Plates 55 fit the lower side of the chute andconform thereto in contour,asshown in Fig.3. (See also Fig.6.) The straw is fed'by the feeder-prongs 36 into the bale-box 56, the construction of which will now be described with reference to "Figs. 1, 8, and 34. I

Thefbale-box' proper comprises two outer top plates 57, a central top plate 58, supported between plates 57, as hereinafter described,

two side plates 59, attached to plates57 by hinges 60, and an end plate 61, also hinged to plates 57. The bottom of the bale-box is formed by theinclined downward extension 63of the bottom of the chute 25; but the baleboX is'not connected in any manner to said extension nor to the chute itself. Four hangers '64 64, from which the bale-box ishung, have their 'feet secured to the lateral top plates 57. The upper ends of these hangers terminate in sleeves 66, and through these sleeves extend two straightro'ds 67, which will be termed guide-rods hereinafter, for the reason that they form guides for said sleeves 66, which are actuated by mechanism yet to be described. The upper or forward ends of guide-rods 67'are secured to sleeves which ar'e pivot'ally mountedon a transverse rotatable shaft 68, to be fully described hereinafter. Between the lower two hangers 64 and parallel therewith are two vertical guide-bars 64, having lateral extensions at their upper ends, which are bent downward and secured to the inner faces of said two hangers 64. A bar 69 is mounted slidingly between the guide-bars 64? and has a sleeve'70 at its upper end, through which passes the middle guide-rod 72, having its forward or upper end mounted on the shaft 68 in the same manner as rods 67. The lower portion of each guidebar 64 is provided with a longitudinal slot, and through these slots the ends of a pin 81 project, the pin passing also through the bar 69. The ends of this pin 81 are engaged by the forked end of a link '78, the opposite end of which is pivotally connected to an upwardly-extendingear 77, secured tothe hinged plate 61 of the bale-box. The bar 69 has a forwardly-projecting boss at its lower end, as shown in Fig. 8, and the inner ends of two toggle-links 78 are pivotally connected to a pin or stud secured in said boss. The outer ends of these toggle-links arepivotally connected, respectively, to ears 77 77, secured to the'hinged side plates 59 of the bale-box,

lguide-rods 67.

i as shown". The middle top plate 58 has a central longitudinal slot 58 therein, open at its forward or upper end and preferably closed at the lower end. The purpose of this slot is to permit of the upward and forward move- .ment of the ear 77 in a direction parallel to the chute-bottom 63 when the sides of the bale-box are carried in that directionby the rack and gear 73, to be described hereinafter. Each guide-rod67 has rigidly secured thereto at points lower than the lowest position of sleeves 66 two depending bars 65, which bend inwardly and then downwardly, as shown in Fig. 34, and have their lower ends secured to the sides of the top plate 58, either directly or through the intermediacy of short plates 65, to support the bale-box from the I I The forward ends of the lateral top plates 57 extend beyond the hinged sides 59, and an archedbrace 76 has its feet secured to the top of these extended portions. The purpose of this brace is to stifien the bale-box,'and it is necessarily arched in order that it may not collidewith the wire twisting and retaining mechanism, which is secured to the lower end of chute 25, as shown in Fig. 17 and described hereinafter. A toothed rack 75 is secured parallel to sliderods 67 to an extension 64 of one of the guides 64 and also-to a depending bracket 64, secured to one of the forward or upper hangers 64'. (See Fig. 34.) This rack may also be secured to the arched brace 76. portion of the rack engages a gear 73, which may be either perfect or mutilated, as shown,

' keyed on the shaft 68. (See Fig. 8.) A sleeve or boxing 74, having bearings hung from the shaft 68 at the sides of gear 73, holds the rack 75 positively in engagement with said gear.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that the top plate 58 of the bale-box will always be held stationary with respect to theouter slide-rods 67, to which it is secured; but when The toothedthe rack 75 is movedup and forward by gear a A 73, as hereinafter described, the bale-box itself middle guide-rod 72 were raised higher than the corresponding ends of the outer guide-rods 67 the bar-69 would belifted up between guides 64 and would raise the inner ends of the three 1 links 78, thereby drawing in their lower ends,

which would pull the ears 77 inwardly, and

thereby open the plates 59 and 6-1 outwardly,

as shown in Fig. 8. Conversely, a depression of the slide-rod 72 would lower the plunger 1 69, spread the links 7 7, and thereby close the plates 59 61 inwardly,-as shown in Fig. 34. I

also provide for swinging the bale-boxbodily out from the chute 25 previous to'raising it by the rack 75, and the means I employ for effecting this swinging and for oscillatingthe middle slide rod 72 will now be described.

All three of the slide-rods 67 and 72 are os-' cillated by two lifter-bars 79 and 80 and two pairs of pitmen 82 83, the left-hand pair of which is shown in raised position in Fig. 8. Said pair of pitmenhave their lower ends mounted on a cranked shaft 84, and the righthand pitmen are similarly mounted on a cranked shaft 85, symmetrical with shaft 84. The upper ends of the outer pitmen 82-are pivotally connected to the lower lifter-bar 80, which is secured to the lower sides of the outer slide-rods 67. The inner pitmen 83 extend up through slots in lifter-bar 80 and have their upper ends connected to the upperlifterbar 79, which is centrally secured to the upper side of middle slide-rod 72. The ends of lifter-bar 80 are enlarged and slotted to receive the inclined guides 7, the lower ends of which are secured to bars 6 of the frame 1.

(See Figs. 1 and 8.) Each cranked shaft 84 85 has secured thereona pinion 87, which is intermittently rotated by intermittent gears 88 and 101. Said gears are mounted on shafts 132 and 132, respectively. (See Figs. 1 and 8. See also Fig. 10.) construction is toalternately raise and lower the lifter-bars 79 80, and thereby open and close the bale-box, as described heretofore. Integral with gears 88 101 or secured to the sides thereof are stop-cams 89, having circular peripheries, excepting at recessed portions alongside the teeth of said gears. Double. concaved cam-shoes 90 are keyed on shafts 84 85in alinernent with cams 89, which normally engage said shoes and prevent rotation of said shafts, except when the recesses in said stopcams register with said shoes, when the shoes 90 are free to rotate, and the gears 88 or 101 are then in mesh with pinions 87. Each gear 88 and 101 has one-half the number of teeth provided on each pinion 87, so that pinions are given a half-revolution at a time by gears 88 or 101. The positions in which said shoes and shafts 84 85am held correspond to the upper and lower positions of lifter-bars 79 and 80. It will thus be seen that when shafts S4 and 85 are rotated the bale-box is alternately swung out bygears 88 and swung in by gears 101. Simultaneously with said swinging out the lifter-bar 79 is raised higher than lifter-bar 80, thereby elevating sliderod 72 and plunger 69 and opening the balebox in the manner described heretofore. Conversely, when upper bar 79 is lowered to the level of bar 80 the plunger is depressed,

and thereby closes the bale-box.

The initial position of the bale-box 56 when it commences to receive a charge for straw is its highest position, it being supported by the-hangers 64 64 and closely embracing the lower portion of the chute 25. The bale box as it fills with straw is permitted to de- 1 scend to the position shown by Fig. 8, during which movement the hangers 64 64slide along the guide-rods 67 It is obvious that during such descent the rack 75 will rotate gear-wheel 73. This backward rotation of said gear is controlled through said rack by The purpose of this means of the device shown in Fig. 9. The teeth of the ratchet 92 on shaft 68, journaled to frame 1, are normally engaged by' shoulder 93 of a pawl 94, which is pivotally secured at 91 to a link 95, the lower end of which is pivoted to frame-bar 1 at 96. A stop-stud 97 on pawl 94 is normally held against said link by spring 98, which thereby presses pawl 94 against the ratchet. When the ratchet is in the position shown, the

bale-box 56 is supposed to contain little or no straw; but as straw is accumulated therein by feeder-prongs 36 the pressure against the lower end of the bale-box is transmitted through rack 75, gear 73, and shaft 68 to ratchet 92 and causes a slight rotation of the ratchet. Pawl 94 is thereby forced outward and downward, the spring 98 yielding and permitting the pawl to tilt on pivot 91, and the parts momentarily assume the position shown by dotted lines, thus allowing the ratchet to slip one tooth past the pawl. The next tooth may be caught and held by the pawl, this depending on the amount of pressure of the straw in the bale-box. The slip ping of ratchet 92 is repeated until the bale is formed, when the bale-box occupies its lowest position. After the bale is bound and released from the bale-box by the opening thereof the bale-box is raised to startingpoint by rack 75, gear 73, shaft 68, and a gear 99 the counterpart of gear 73, secured on the end of shaft 68 opposite from ratchet 92. Gear-wheel 99 is actuated by a mutilated gear 141, which engages it at the proper time to rotate gear 73, and thereby raise the balebox 56 through rack 75. (See Fig. 10.) While the balebox descends, the gears 99 and 141 are out of engagement with each other, so that the driven gear 99 is then free to revolve. This will be fully understood by reference to Fig. 10. The rotation of the mutilated gear in the direction of the arrow marked thereon rotates gear 99 until the teeth of gear 141 pass the gear 99 and therefore do not engage it. in the position to which it is turned by gear 141 by the ratchet 92 and pawl94, as before described, until the releases of said pawl by pressure within the bale-box.

Referring to Figs. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16, the compress and the wire-carrying needles 118 will next bedescribed. 7

When the bale-box 56 is well filled with straw, a portion of the straw in the chute above the bale-box is compressed into the balebox by compress-ribs 100, (preferably two in number,) which are strongly secured to a cross-bar 102, securedto a pair of compressarms 1,03. The inner ends of these arms are pivotally secured to lateral extensions 104 of a plate 105, slidingly held against the lower side of chute 25 by guides 106. Said plate is provided with two pairs of prongs 107, which bridge across an opening 108 in the chutebottom when said plate is in its forward position. The slots 109 between said prongs em The gear 99 is held' IlIO tend back into the body of plate 105, and the extension 63 of the chute-bottom is provided with two slots 110, which register with slots 109. Through these slots the binding-wires extend when carried from the spools 112 to the wire-twisting devices above the chute. Slots are shown in Fig. 1. The ends of compress-bar 102 have wrist-pins 113 thereon, which carry the ends of two connectingrods 114. The other ends of rods 114 are pivoted to crank-arms 115, which are keyed on the rocker-shaft 116, which is journaled to frame 1 and braces 8. The actuating-arms 117 of the two wire needles 118 are keyed to rocker-shaft 116 at a suitable distance apart. As shown in Fig. 16, a pair of grooved stationary cams 119 are secured to the sides of the frame of the machine,being shown in Figs. 1, 2, 11, 12, and 16. The function ofsaid cams is to guide the compress-ribs 100 by engaging rollers 121 on the ends of wrist-pins 113. \Vhen the bale-binding mechanism is set in motion, the compress 100 and needles 118 are in the positions shown by Fig. 11. Rockershaft 116 is given about half-a turnin the direction of the arrow by the gearing described hereinafter, throwing back the crank-arms 15, which draw back the rods 114, which force the compress-ribs 100 into the chute 25 and then pull them down to the upperend of the bale-box, these movements of the compress being guided by the grooved cams 119. During said downward movement of the compress the needles 118 start and pass up through the chute, passing first between grooves in cross-bar 102, the object of which grooves is to permit needles 118 to pass directly alongside of the compress-ribs 100. The needles thus easily penetrate the looser straw above the bale, and their pointsdescribe the are shown by dotted line until they reach the end of their throw. (Shown by Fig. 12.) The offsets 71 in rocker-shaft 116 are provided in order to permit said shaft tobe mounted close to the lower side of the chute and to prevent compress-arms 103 from striking said shaft when the parts are in the position shown by Fig. 12. may be mounted farther below the chute, in which case the offsets 71 would not be required. Then the compress ribs or arms 100 are drawn down, as above described, the slide-plate 105 is also pushed down along the chute by compress-arms 103, which are in turn actuated through rods 114. Said motion of plate 105 withdraws its prongs 107 from across the chute-opening, thereby making room for the com press-ribs 100 and wire-needles 118. The straw having been compressed into a solid bale by compress-ribs 100, as described hereinbefore, and the binding-wires having been secured and cut, as hereinafter described, the wire-needles 118 retreat through the chute, and when they are clear of the chute the compress-ribs 100 are moved up and withdrawn therefrom by a reverse movement of rockshaft 116, as will be clearly apparent from reference to Figs. 11 and 12.

Shaft 116' Shaft 116 has'keyed thereon at the sides of the machine spur-gears 122, which are actuated by sector-gears 123, mounted on short shafts 131 and secured to upwardly-extending levers 124. One of said levers and gears is shown detached in Fig. 13, from which it will be seen that the lever has a longitudinal slot therein, which'is engaged by a stud 126, secured to a gear-wheel 127. The gear-wheel 127 and lever 124 are duplicated on the oppo site side of the machine, as shown in Fig. 2. The rotation of wheels 127 oscillates levers 124 and gears 123,.thereby actuating gears 122, shaft 116, needles 118, and compress-ribs 100. The lever-slots 125 have widened central portions formed on arcs of circles described by studs 126. The object of this con-. struction is to hold. levers 124 stationary during two intervals in each rotation of gearwheels'127. Gears 127 on shafts 129 (see Figs. 1 and. 10) are driven by pinions 128 on shaft 20, which shaft is driven intermittently by means to be described hereinafter. The mutilated gear 141, which drives gear 09 on shaft 68, is secured to the shaft 129 of one of the lever-actuating gears 127. (See- Figs. 1 and 10.) Gears 130 on short shafts 132 carry the intermittent gears 88 and 101, which rotate the lifter-bar pinions hereinbefore mentioned in connection with the bale-box.

Returning to the binding mechanism, the backs of the wire-needles 118 are provided with grooves 133 for engaging the wires, (see Figs. 14 and 15,) and near the ends of the needles these grooves are spanned by a suitable number of retainers 134. Each needle has a slot near its end, in which slot are mounted two or three grooved antifrictionrollers 136, which prevent the wire from catching on the edges ofsaid slots. The wires are taken from reels or spools 112, threaded through the retainers 134 and through slots 135, and the wire ends are bent back,gas shown by dotted line in Fig. 12. One of the wire-spools 112 is shown in this figure. Referring also to Fig. 16, these spools are slipped over horizontal spindles 137, secured to a standard 138. Below each spool l'is pivotally mounted a tension-lever 139,-which may carry a friction-shoe of any preferred kind, and the tension is maintained by springs 140, which may be adjustable, if desired. These tension devices prevent the wires from be coming entangled or kinked.

The manner in which the Wires are bound around a ba'le will be described before describing the retaining, twisting, and cutting devices themselves. Reference is accordingly- IIO had to Figs.'25,' 26, 27, and 28. In Fig. 25

the twisting mechanism and lower end of-the chute 25 are indicated by dotted lines. In

will be assumed for the purpose of this description that the bale-box (not shown) is in lowered position and is empty. After the wire has been threaded through needle 118, as hereinbefore described, the gearing is put in motion and the needle carries the wire up through the chute, through the wire-twister, and into the wire-retainer, where the end of the wire is caught and held. When the needle retreats, it slides along the Wire by means of the slot or eye 135 engaging the wire, and when'the needle is down the wire occupies substantially the position shown by Fig.25. The bale-box will then be raised, and straw will be fed into it to form a bale, as described hereinbefore. When the bale-box is again in lowered position, the wire has been drawn down by the bale, as shown in Fig. 26. The compress-ribs 100 precede the needles into the chute, compressing the hale and holding it compressed. Needle 118 penetrates the loose straw above the halo, carrying the loop of wire above the bale into the retainer,

which bites the loop near its end and holds it. The wire is now disposed as shown in Fig. 27. The next operation is the twisting of the two portions of the wire at t. These portions are next severed just above the twist, and at the same time the portion of wire extending from the twister to the retainer is cutat r, leaving the wire to still caught in the retainer, but allowing the two severed pieces to drop out of the way. The needle 118 then retreats through one of the slots 143, the bale is released by the opening of the bale-box, which is run up to starting position, and the abovedescribed operation is repeated.

I will now describe more fully the gearing by which the rocksliaft, pitmen, and other parts are actuated, commencing with the drive-shaft 16 and referring to Figs. 1, 2, 10, and 29.

The drive-shaft 16 carries a gear-wheel 17, which drives gear-Wheels 18 and 19, Fig. 29. The shaft 20, on which gear 18 is keyed, carries two pinions 128 of equal diameters at op posite sides of the machine, Figs. 29 and 10. These pinions drive two gear-wheels 127, respectively, mounted on short shafts 129. On one shaft 129 is keyed a segmental gear 141,

I which engages asegmental gear 99 on a shaft 68,which causes the oblique sliding of the hale-' box 56, as described heretofore.

Each gearwheel127 drives a gear-wheel 130, Fig. 1, said gears 130 being mounted on short shafts 132, respectively. Keyed on each shaft 132 is a double segmental gear 88 101 and a circular stop-cam 89. Keyed on shafts 84, respectively, are two cam-shoes 90, having concave faces which fit the peripheries of cams 89 and are thereby prevented from rotating, excepting once at each rotation of said cams. The rotation of the shoes 89 (with pinions 87) is permitted by recesses in the stop-cams 89, as shown, each recess being large enough to permit one rotation of its shoe 90 while the cam is in rotation. The function of gears 88 101 is to alternately engage pinions 87 on cranked shafts 84 for intermittently rotating said shafts, and thereby operating the bale-box mechanism, as described. Gear-wheels 127 carry pins 126, which oscillate levers 124 and segmental gears 123, which gears drive pinions 122 on rock-shaft 116, to which shaft the wire-needles 118 are secured. (See Figs. 10 and 16.)

Referring now to Figs. 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23, and 24, the mechanism for twisting and cutting the wires will he described. Fig. 17 shows this mechanism secured to the upper side of the lower end of the chute 25, and it is small enough to permit the arch 76 and the,

hangers 64 of the bale-box to pass above and straddle it, regardless of the position of the hale-box. The base-plate 142 of the mechanism is firmly secured to the top of the chute, which is drawn in section in Fig. 17 to expose one of the slots which register with slots 143 in plate 142. Through these slots the needles 118 carry the wires into the twisters and the retainers. Rigidly secured to baseplate 142 or integral therewith are two bearings 145 and 146 for the crank-shaft 147, which extends upwardly above the chute and is driven byan intermittent gear, to be described hereinafter. Said shaft has a terminal cranked portion 148, which oscillates the slotted retainer-lever 150, and an oppositelycranked portion 149, which oscillates the slotted cutter-bar lever152. Shaft 147 also carries the bevel gear-wheel 153, which drives the twister-pinion 154. The retaining devices include the two plates 155 and 156, secured perpendicularly to base -plate 142, the inner plate 156 being preferably integral with said base-plate. Between plates 155 and 156 on rotatable shafts 157 are mounted the two retainer-disks 158, one of which is shown in perspective by Fig. 22. Each disk is provided with four hooks or prongs 159, and on its face adjacent to plate 156 is secured a four-bladed cutter 160, of which 162 designate the cutter edges. Fig. 22 represents the disk in reverse position from what it would occupy in Fig. 18. The disks 158 are given a step-by-step rotation in the direction of the arrows by ratchets 163 and pawls 164, said pawls being oscillated by lever 150, to which they are pivoted at 161. A guide-bar 165 for said pawls is secured to plate 155, being broken out in Fig. 18. Stop-pawls 167 are provided to prevent backward rotation of ratchets 163 when pawls 164 are wiping said ratchets. Outer plate 155 has two notches 168 in its upper edge, and inner plate 156 has two'notches 169 in its upper edge opposite notches168. The wires being carried into these notches by needles 118, are crimped by a quarter-turn of the disks 158, as shown in Fig.23, from which it will be seen that the shank of one of the prongs 159 pushes the wire a short distance laterally between itself and the plates 155 156, coming to rest in the position shown. It is evident that a further 

